Portugal Holidays

Portugal may be small compared to its Spanish neighbour, but it packs in plenty of charming cobbled cities, sandy beaches and delicious food and drink. You might think you’ve completed it with a city break to Lisbon but that’s where this guide comes in… Get to know Portugal’s different coasts, from party destinations to old fishing villages and stunning national parks.

Portugal’s top places to visit are split across its mainland and island destinations. Summer is all about sunning yourself on the best beaches, but if you want to sidestep the peak tourist season, Easter time and September and October are still perfect for this.

Colourful cities

Lisbon and Porto are big names on the city break scene for good reason. Their style feels completely unique, so no two buildings ever look the same. Tiled walls in pastel pinks, yellows, blues and greens paint the streets with different patterns, and even the pavements are lovely to look at. It’s not often you get buzzing cities like these, on the water and with easy access to some of the best beaches – win-win-win.

Capturing castles

Portugal is home to a handful of ancient castles that look like something out of a fairytale. The Pena Palace in Sintra is possibly the most well-known and while it’s a popular tourist spot, it’s so worth it. Its iconic yellow and red painted walls and white and blue tiles make it stand out from the Serra da Sintra hills that surround it. Sat on a rocky outcrop as well, the views from its terraces are amazing. In the same area, you also have the Castelo dos Mouros and National Palace of Sintra. All three make for a great daytrip from Lisbon and can be sorted with a combined entry ticket.

All au naturel

Portugal is overflowing with beaut scenes and Peneda-Gerês National Park is a hiker’s paradise. It’s up in the northwest and sits between mountains and reservoirs, with gorg waterfalls and river beaches for a refreshing dip. Routes range from full-day hikes to small circular loops with swimming spots, so you can make the most of a picnic halfway round.

The panoramic viewpoint of Pedra Bela is a great pick and the paths around here also take you to Arado waterfalls, as part of the two-mile Miradouro Velho da Pedra Bela route. Running north from Portugal’s peninsula, the Vicentine Coast Natural Park is one of Europe’s best-preserved coastlines, with no major city in sight. Then, Cape Saint Vincent outside of Sagres is thought to be the end of the European world – you can’t beat the sunset from its lighthouse.

Our pick

Take it from someone that's been there – here’s a top tip from our team:

“There’s this really unique café in Cascais called ‘House of Wonders’ – it’s all veggie and vegan with a visual menu concept. Inside, an example of each dish is plated up, so you can see what the food looks like and pick to eat with your eyes. The menu changes all the time and staff will answer any questions about ingredients and make recommendations. Plus, in the evening they do great cocktails.” – Lily Owen